Hazrat Iyas bin Salamah narrates from his father that the Quraysh sent Kharijah bin Karz to spy for them. He returned while praising (the Companions). So the Quraysh said to him, "You are a villager. They made you hear the clanking of weapons, so your heart flew away. Thus, you did not realize what was done to you and what you said." Then the Quraysh sent Urwah bin Mas’ud. He presented himself before the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). "O Muhammad! What is this matter? You call towards the essence of God and then you bring to your people lowly people, some of whom you know and some you do not know... so that you may sever ties with them and make their sanctities, blood, and wealth lawful." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "I have only come to my people so that I may maintain ties of kinship with them. Allah gives them, in exchange for their religion, a better religion and, in exchange for their livelihood, a better livelihood." Upon hearing this, he too returned while praising (the Companions). The narrator says: Hazrat Iyas narrates from his father, the hardships and severity increased upon the Muslims who were in the custody of the polytheists. The narrator says that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) called Hazrat Umar and indicated, "O Umar! Will you convey a message from your side to your Muslim brothers who are prisoners (come)?" Hazrat Umar said, "O Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him)! I do not have a large family in Mecca, whereas others have more family ties there than I do." The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) called Hazrat Uthman and sent him towards the people of Mecca. Hazrat Uthman mounted his ride and set out until he reached the army of the polytheists. They started talking nonsense and engaged in frivolous conversation with him. But then Aban bin Sa’id bin Al-As, who was Hazrat Uthman's cousin, gave him protection, mounted him on his own saddle, and himself rode behind him. Then, as they moved forward, he said, "O cousin! Why do I see you wearing old clothes? Lower your izar (i.e., cover your ankles)." The narrator says: Hazrat Uthman's izar was up to half his shin... Hazrat Uthman replied to him, "Our master (the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him) also wears his izar like this." Then Hazrat Uthman did not leave any Muslim prisoner without conveying the message of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) (i.e., he delivered the message to all). Hazrat Salamah says: During this time, while we were resting at noon, the caller of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) announced, "O people! The pledge (of Muhammad), the pledge! The Holy Spirit has descended." The narrator says: So we proceeded towards the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him). He was sitting under an acacia tree. We pledged allegiance to him. This is mentioned in this verse: { لَقَدْ رَضِیَ اللَّہُ عَنِ الْمُؤْمِنِینَ إِذْ یُبَایِعُونَکَ تَحْتَ الشَّجَرَۃِ } The narrator says: The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) took the pledge for Hazrat Uthman in such a way that he placed one of his hands over the other. People began to say, "How fortunate is Abu Abdullah! He is performing tawaf of the Ka'bah while we are here." The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said, "Even if he remains there for several years, he will not perform tawaf until I perform tawaf."